Rob Baxter backs Exeter’s Springboks recruit to follow similar path to former Wallabies duo in Test arena

Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter believes new signing Joseph Dweba can force his way back into the Springboks squad after joining the Premiership outfit.

Dweba, who joined the Chiefs from the Stormers ahead of the 2025/26 season, has made six Test appearances for South Africa but has not represented his country since 2023.

‘Similar situation to Exeter’s former Wallabies duo’

However, Baxter believes the 29-year-old hooker is in a similar situation to Exeter‘s former Wallabies duo Dean Mumm (utility forward) and Nic White (scrum-half).

Mumm and White were also out of contention for Wallabies selection but after impressive stints at the Sandy Park-based club, they were recalled at international level.

“Nic’s still playing now, he left us four years ago,” said Baxter. “We signed him when he wasn’t in any international recognition at all, played two seasons with us and has never stopped playing for Australia since.

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“Dean Mumm was the same, he dropped out of international recognition, had an OK season with the Waratahs, came back, was inspirational for us to the degree that Australia wanted him back for a World Cup.

“I don’t see Joseph being any different in his career, there is a lot left in him. He thinks there is a lot left in him and he is training and playing like there is a lot left there.

‘You’ll see a really revived Joseph Dweba this season’

“So I’d like to think you will see a really revived Joseph Dweba this season. I’d like to think you’d see him as a revived player in a revived Exeter Chiefs team.”

Dweba played his first competitive match for Exeter just over a week ago in a Prem Rugby Cup loss against Gloucester after representing the club in a friendly against Ospreys, the Welsh region.

He also had a stint in France with current Investec Champions Cup winners Bordeaux-Begles prior to his move to the Stormers in 2022 and has hit the ground running since joining the Chiefs.

“Anyone who watched the Ospreys game and the Gloucester game would say our set-piece does look a different animal at the moment, it genuinely does, and he is contributing massively to that both in what he is doing when he is in it and also the focus that we are having around it,” added Baxter.

“He has still got a little bit to do. The nice thing about him is how open he is to ask for what more do we want from him.

“He is doing every training session. He is getting out of training field doing everything, he’s coming to the coaches for feedback on sessions and games, so I’m personally really pleased with what he is doing.”

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